Commissioners of Supply were local administrative bodies in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

from 1667 to 1930. Originally established in each

sheriffdom A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland, led by a sheriff principal. Since 1 January 1975, there have been six sheriffdoms. Each sheriffdom is divided into a series of sheriff court districts, and each sheriff court is presided over by a r ...

to collect tax, they later took on much of the responsibility for the local government of the

counties of Scotland The shires of Scotland ( gd, Siorrachdan na h-Alba), or counties of Scotland, are historic subdivisions of Scotland established in the Middle Ages and used as administrative divisions until 1975. Originally established for judicial purposes (bei ...

. In 1890 they ceded most of their duties to the

county councils A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irela ...

created by the

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c. 50) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. The main effect of the act was to establish elected county councils in Scotland. In this it foll ...

. They were finally abolished in 1930.

Creation

The

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

passed legislation creating Commissioners of Supply for each of the shires or sheriffdoms in 1667. The act specified that the commissioners for each sheriffdom should consist partly of ''

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

'' members: all privy councillors and senators of the

College of Justice The College of Justice includes the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies. The constituent bodies of the national supreme courts are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, the Office of the Accountant of Court, an ...

"within the severall respective shyres wher any part of ther lands and estates doeth ly", and partly of nominated members: a number of named prominent landowners in each shire.The sheriffdoms listed were Edinburgh (i.e. Midlothian), Hadingtoun (i.e. East Lothian), Berwick, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Peebles, Lanerk, Dumfreize, "the sherifdome of Wigtoun and stewartrie of Kirkcudbright", Air, Dumbartan, Bute, Renfrew, Striviling (i.e. Stirlingshire), Linlithgow (i.e. West Lothian), Perth, Kincairdine, Aberdene, Inverness and Ross, Nairne, Cromarty, Argyle, Fyfe and Kinross, Forfar (i.e. Angus), Bamf (i.e. Banff), Sutherland, Caithnes, Elgine (i.e Moray), Orkney and Zetland, Clakmannan. The commissioners had the duty of ensuring the collection of "cess" or land tax to supply the financial needs of the sovereign. A total of 72,000 pounds was to be raised monthly throughout Scotland, with each sheriffdom responsible for a set sum. This ranged from 33,183 pounds and 8 shillings in Midlothian to 352 pounds, 7 shillings and 3 pence in Clackmannanshire. The

royal burgh A royal burgh () was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs. Most royal burghs were either created by ...

s lying within each sheriffdom were not subject to the commissioners, the cess being collected by the burgh magistrates. In 1686 the commissioners took on their first local government functions. In that year an act was passed providing that the repair of highways and bridges should be the responsibility of "the several shires and burghs... within their respective bounds". The sheriff of each shire was given the power to compel the commissioners of supply and

justices of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission (letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sam ...

to convene and agree funding and allocation of labour for road repairs.

1707–1930

The commissioners continued to exist following the passing of the Act of Union in 1707. From 1718 they became responsible, along with

, for county roads and bridges, and in 1832 they were charged with raising "rogue money" for the keeping of the peace. In many cases the commissioners appointed special constables for all or parts of their counties, and by the

Police (Scotland) Act 1857 The Police (Scotland) Act 1857 (20 & 21 Vict c 72) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the Police (Scotland) Acts 1857 to 1890. The legislation made the establishment of a police force mandatory in the counties of S ...

they were required to establish a county police force, in all areas outside

police burghs A police burgh was a Scottish burgh which had adopted a "police system" for governing the town. They existed from 1833 to 1975. The 1833 act The first police burghs were created under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Wm IV c.46). Thi ...

, from 1858. In 1862, the functions and property of the

Commissioners of Highland Roads and Bridges The Commissioners of Highland Roads and Bridges (formally the Commissioners for Roads and Bridges in the Highlands of Scotland) was created in 1803 to take responsibility for the construction and maintenance of the long-distance roads in the Scotti ...

were transferred to the Commissioners of Supply.Highland Roads and Bridges Act 1862, sections 4 and 5. In 1890, as a result of the

, virtually all of the powers and duties of the commissioners passed to the newly created county councils. The commissioners continued to exist, however, meeting once a year to elect a convener and to appoint members to the Joint Standing Committee that was responsible for the county constabulary. The other members of the committee were nominated by the county council, and it was chaired by the

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

of the county. Commissioners of Supply were finally abolished in 1930 by the

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo 5 c. 25) reorganised local government in Scotland from 1930, introducing joint county councils, large and small burghs and district councils. The Act also abolished the Scottish poor law syst ...

References

History of local government in Scotland Scottish commissions and inquiries 1667 establishments in Scotland 1667 in politics 1930 disestablishments in Scotland Parliament of Scotland